Automatic lock for facing-point switches.



No. 740,223 PATENTBD SEPT. 29, 1903.-

S. M. BRADEN.

AUTOMATIC LOOK FOR FACING POINT SWITCHES.

APPLIGATIOII FILED MAY 27, 1903. v I ,2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 meaaea, a}

PATENTED SEPT. 29, 1903. S. M. HEADER. AUTOMATIC LOCK YOK FAQING POINT SWITGHBS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented September 29, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC LOCK FOR FAClNG-POINT SWITCHES.

SPEGIFZGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,223, dated September 29, 1903. Application filed May 27,1903. Serial No. 158,908. (No model.)

To all whom, it nm-y concern:

Be it known that I, STANLEY M. BRADEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakpark, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Looks for Facing-Point a specification.

My invention relates to railway switch devices, and has reference more particularly to a new and improved automatic 1001: for use in connection with facing-point switches.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and easily-operated lock mechanism which may be applied to a switch of the class mentioned in conjunction or association with the switch-operating mechanism, the normal automatic action of which shall be to maintain the switch locked when thrown to operative position and prevent the switch from becoming accidentally misplaced, while at the same time when the switch is to be thrown from one position to another the automatic locking means may be easily and conveniently released by the operator by a simple movement of the foot and withoutinterfering with or delaying the manual operation of shifting the switch through the regular switch-operating mechanism.

My invention in a simple and preferred form is illustrated in the accompanying'drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of a facing-point switch and part of the switclroperating mecn anism having my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, and Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively enlarged detail views in top plan and side elevation of the inner immediate rail-engaging parts of my locking device.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates the usual rails of a railway-track supported on the usual cross-ties 6. r

7 designates the end portions of the twin members of a facing-point switch lying between and adjacentto the rails 5. These switch members are connected, as usual, by a tie-rod 8, uniting the points 7 in such relation that when one is throwninto engagement with its cooperating rail 5 the other is simultaneously withdrawn from its cooperatin g rail sufficiently to permit the passage of Switches, of which the following is' the flange of the wheel therebetween, all as usual and well understood in railway practies. The tie-rod 8 extends through or beneath one of the rails 5, its outer end being connected by a link 9 to the operating-arm (not shown) of any usualor well-known switch or semaphore stand 10. Referring now to those features wherein my present improvement resides, 11 designates a lever which is pivotally mounted at 12 on the vertical face of an extension of one of the ties 6 or other suitable support, which lever has its inner arm extended beneath the adjacent rail 5 at a point where it also underlies the end portion of the rail-point 7. This end of the lever 11 has riveted, bolted, or otherwise secured thereon a pair of vertical extensions, here shown as lugs or blocks 13 and 14, respectively, projecting a slight distance above the upper surface of the lever and presenting shoulders 13 145, which when the lever is in its straight-line position, as indicated by full lines in Fig. 2, embrace the bases of the rails 5 and 7, engaging the outer margins thereof in such away as to lock said rails together and prevent their lateral separation. The other end of the lever 11 has adjustably mounted thereon acounterweight 15, slidable therealong, while the extreme end of the lever is pivotally connected at 16 through a pin-and-slot connection with the adjacent end of a second lever 17, pivoted at 18 to the extension or support to which the lever 11 is pivoted, the free end of the lever 17 preferably being provided with an inwardly-turned pedal 19, conveniently positioned for depression by the foot of the operator when about to manipulate the switch-operating mechanism.

As will be evident from the drawings, when the switch is in normal set position to maintain the main track open, as indicated by Fig. 1, the counterweight 15 by its gravity 'efiect maintains the levers 11 and 17 in horizontal endwise alinement, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, whereby the locking-blocks 13 and 14: are engaged with the bases of the closed rails 5 and 6, thereby holding said rails locked together against accidental separation. When the operator desires to shift the switch-points 7, he first depresses with his foot the outer end of the lever 17, whereby said lever and the lever 11 are thrown to the positions indi- IOO cated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the counterweight being raised and the locking-blocks 13 and 14 depressed below the bases of the rails and out of interfering position therewith, whereupon the switch can be thrown in the usual manner.

It will be entirely obvious that a duplicate of the locking mechanism described might be employed in connection with the rail and switch-point remote from the switch or signal stand in order to automatically maintain the switch-points locked in either position; but I have not deemed it necessary to show such mechanism in view of the fact that it involves onlya duplication of the mechanism already described.

I claim 1. A lock for facing-point switches comprising a device movable into and out of a position in which it embraces a closed switchpoint and track-rail, locking them against lateral separation, and means normally tending to maintain said device in locking position,

substantially as described.

2. A look for facing-point switches comprisinga device movable into and out of a position in which it embraces a closed switchpoint and track-rail, locking them against lateral separation, means normally tending to maintain said device in looking position, and means for moving said device into unlocking position, substantially as described.

3. A look for facing-point switches comprising a device located beneath ,a rail and movable substantially vertically therebeneath into and out of a position in which it embraces a closed switch-point and track-rail, locking them against lateral separation, a counterweighted lever normally moving said device into locking position, and foot-operated means for throwing said devicezinto releasing position, substantially as described.

l. A look for switches of the class described comprising a pivoted lever having one arm thereof disposed transversely of and beneath a track-rail and adjacent switch-point, vertical shoulders on said underlying arm so positioned as to embrace and lock together the bases of the track-rail and switch-point when closed, and means applied to the opposite arm of the lever normally tending to maintain said rail-embracing shoulders in looking position, substantially as described.

5. A look for switches of the class described comprising a pivoted lever having one arm thereof disposed transversely of and beneath a track-rail and adjacent switch-point, vertical shoulders on said underlying arm so positioned as to embrace and hold against lateral separation the bases of the track-rail and switch-point when closed, means applied to the opposite arm of the lever normally'tending to maintain said rail-embracing shoulders in looking position, and means connected to the outer end of said lever through the actuation of which said rail-embracing extensions are depressed into releasing position, substantially as described.

6. A look for switches of the class described comprising a pivoted lever having one arm thereof disposed transversely of and beneath a track-rail and adjacent switch-point, a pair of vertical locking extensions on said underlying arm so positioned and spaced as to engage by their inner opposed faces the outer margins of the base-flanges of the track-rail and switch point when closed, a counterweight or equivalent means engaging the opposite arm of the lever and normally tending to maintain said lever and locking extensions engaged with the rail and switch-point, and a foot-operated lever connected with the outer end of said first-named lever and serving when actuated to depress the inner end of the latter and its extensions below the bases of said rail and switch-point to release the latter, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a trackrail, a switch-point, and a switch-throwing mechanism, of an automatic lock for said switchpoint comprising a lever pivoted to oscillate in a vertical plane and having one arm thereof disposed transversely of and beneath the track-rail and switch-point, a pair of vertical locking extensions on said underlying arm so positioned and spaced as to engage laterally the outer margins of the base-flanges of the track-rail and switch-point when closed, a counterweight or equivalent means engaging the opposite arm of the lever and normally tending to maintain said lever and locking extensions engaged with the rail and switchpoint, and afoot-operated lever disposed adjacent to said switch-throwing mechanism and pivotally connected with the outer end. of said first-named lever and serving when actuated to effect through the latter the re- ICC lease of the switch-point, substantially as described.

STANLEY M. BRADEN.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL N. POND, L. F. MCOREA. 

